Modern electronic devices give individual users the ability to create multimedia content that could previously be created only with large assemblies of expensive equipment, operated by numerous people. In addition, modern devices give users the ability to share content with one another. Whenever an event is attended by large numbers of people, inevitably many of these people will record the event, and different persons may record different portions of the event. The recordings made by different persons provide material which can theoretically be edited together to form more complete or personally relevant recordings. In addition, different multimedia material elements, which may be recorded or otherwise created by different persons at different times, could, theoretically, be assembled to form interesting and enjoyable presentations. The great mass of such material presents considerable opportunities for creative expression and for collaboration, but the amount of material available, and the number of persons creating material, renders collaboration difficult.
Currently available mechanisms for assembly of multimedia material allow for a user to create material and upload the created material to a service, and for a work to be automatically assembled from elements submitted by different users, based on analysis of the content itself and information provided in relation to the material. However, a great deal of duplication of material is inevitable because creative tools are so widely available. Especially in the case of an amateur work, the subject is likely to be widely featured in works created by others, so that identifying the subject may yield little information distinguishing the work from others featuring the same subject. Identifying the individual appearing in a work may also do little to distinguish the work, because so many works feature similar people doing similar things. In addition, the similarity of so many works renders it difficult to select works that will combine with others in a particularly appealing way.
Furthermore, important issues of privacy and consent surround creative works, particularly audiovisual works. Persons may not wish to appear in someone's creative work, or may place conditions on their appearance. Such conditions may be unacceptable especially to an amateur creator. In the case of a person who does not wish to appear in a work, it may be desirable to use a substitute, and would be desirable to have some mechanism for selecting the substitute.